Offered job - impact on benefits? — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

Offered job - impact on benefits?

loosebones
loosebones Community member Posts: 2 Listener
edited May 2018 in Work and employment
Ive been offered a job, 10 hours a week, to suit my disability and will be very flexible. I currently get ESA (support group), PIP, housing benefit, council tax and extra money because I'm severely disabled. I'm looking to find out if I accept this job if it will affect my benefits at all and if I will be able to survive and afford to live. The yearly salary for 21 hours is 14500 but I don't know how to work out the hourly rate. 
I would obviously declare everything to the DWP and my carers would be helping me in the mornings, and the work is adapted to suit me - I've been volunteering there already. Initially the position was for 21 hours but they've offered me 16, then 14, now 10 so I would love to take on the opportunity. I feel I could cope with 10 hours but no more due to my health.
Can anyone help Please, I need to give an answer asap 
Thanks

Comments

  • deb74
    deb74 Community member Posts: 814 Pioneering
    hi loosebones. you will probably loose your esa because it is a benefit for people who can't work but working shouldn't affect your pip. i was working and still getting pip. it won't affect your housing benefit or council tax either. i was told by the council i would get both paid because i was on pip. hope this helps.
  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
    You can try the benefits calculator and put in your change of circumstance to see how it would affect you,if you need to speak to someone asap you could call the scope helpline on 0808 800 3333/
    Scope
    Senior online community officer
  • debbiedo49
    debbiedo49 Community member Posts: 2,904 Disability Gamechanger
    It may come under protected hours . I get jsa and work 6 hours. The earnings come off my jsa but other benefits are protected. Best to speak to cab or welfare rights for proper advice . Things change constantly and you will need the latest best advice. 
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
    loosebones,

    10 hours a week is fine for what is called 'permitted work', but we do need to check the rate of pay too. From what you've said, the annual salary of £14,500 is for 21 hours. So 14,500/21 x 10 is £6904.76. On a weekly basis, that is around £133 a week. The permitted work weekly limit is £125.50 a week.

    Unfortunately, this means you would be earning TOO MUCH to still get your ESA. You could still get some Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, but it would be based on your earnings. Your PIP will be unaffected. Your council tax reduction would be affected (how will depend on where you live).

    As Sam has suggested, I would try the benefit calculator. However, my main concern about this change is that, even on 10 hours, the rate of pay is too high, & you'd lose ESA. If the job didn't work out, things could get complicated, & you might not be able to go back on ESA.

    You'd probably get quite a lot of housing benefit because your weekly earnings would still be pretty low, but there is a risk, & I would recommend you use the benefits calculator and check things out first.

    Will

     
    The Benefits Training Co:

  • Trengarnuq1
    Trengarnuq1 Community member Posts: 18 Listener
    myself i would not touch because you will loose your esa
  • Trengarnuq1
    Trengarnuq1 Community member Posts: 18 Listener
    If you r in support group i would not touch because you prove to them you can work so they no you r not disabled anough to get the support group sorry i would say no because you lose support group you not get it again

Brightness